Blockbuster rises from the canvas, re-launches spruced up on-demand service

Blockbuster fans rejoice! The fallen giant has managed to make it into the news for something other than entering administration and closing stores. According to Engadget, the company is now is re-launching Blockbuster On Demand, the streaming rental service that was positioning itself to smite Netflix in the not-so-distant past.

Those dreams are – if not dead – at least on life support, but the new service does indicate a renewed interest in updating the Blockbuster brand. In many ways, this service is comparable to other online rental outlets. 1080p offerings, apps on multiple platforms, and a modern interface all point to the embattled company’s arrival in this century, but other facets of the revival point to its adherence to the last.

Blockbuster On Demand lacks a subscription option, an iOS app, and the capability to stream HD video to phones, tablets, or computers. It’s almost as if Blockbuster thought it could simply cram its brick and mortar store into the interwebs and all would be fine and dandy. At this point, the once-iconic company looks like a punch-drunk boxer who lacks the good sense to stay on the canvas.

For now, the most salient question is: Why choose this service over any other? Blockbuster, it seems, is still relying on the brand name clout it has accrued over the years – but we worry that it may have expired.